Coca-Cola buys Australia's kombucha maker Mojo

FILE PHOTO - Bottles of Coca-Cola are seen at a Carrefour Hypermarket store in Montreuil, near Paris, France, February 5, 2018. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau

(Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co (KO.N) said on Tuesday it bought Australia-based Organic & Raw Trading Co, known for its Mojo brand of kombucha tea, extending its push into healthier drinks.

The world’s largest drinks company has been increasingly diversifying its portfolio to include healthier options such as sparkling waters as consumers move away from sugary sodas.

Organic & Raw’s Mojo kombucha is a naturally fermented tea.

Coke has been on a deal spree, ranging from a $5.1 billion acquisition of coffee chain Costa to a minority stake in a Kobe Bryant-backed sports drink brand BodyArmor last month. The company is also among the bidder for GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK.L) Indian Horlicks nutrition business, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

The soda maker also said on Monday it was closely watching the fast-growing marijuana drinks market for a possible entry.

The latest deal, the terms for which were not disclosed, will allow Coca-Cola to add Mojo brands to its portfolio of 165 products and 25 brands across Australia.

“The addition of Mojo kombucha fits perfectly with the growing popularity of organic, probiotic drinks,” Vamsi Mohan, president of Coca-Cola Australia, said in a statement.